Coastal tourism communities in transition: change practices, innovation, and governance for resilient futures

Abstract

Resilience in coastal tourism communities has emerged as a central concern in navigating uncertain futures shaped by environmental, social and economic pressures. This special issue brings together situated examples from Nordic coastal destinations, illustrating how resilience is enacted through adaptive and transformative practices, inclusive governance, and community agency. Rather than framing tourism as a profit-driven or externally imposed activity, the contributions highlight its potential to foster communal well-being, cultural continuity, and ecological stewardship, based on the integration of local voices, heritage and alternative perceptions. The papers explore diverse dimensions of resilience–social, mobility-based, identity-based, contextual and institutional, revealing that viable futures are co-produced through multi-scalar negotiations and relational practices. The examples presented in this special issue further support the notion of communal well-being, fostered by practices that uphold core social and cultural dimensions contributing to the adaptive capacity. Together, the studies challenge simplified narratives of tourism and offer insights into how tourism can support sustainable and just futures for coastal communities.